The taxonomic record (above) is taken from Wilson and Reeder (1993). The
nyala is placed in the subgenus Tragelaphus [De Blainville, 1816] (Nowak,
1991). There are no subspecies, nor are there any synonyms (Wilson
and Reeder, 1993).

There is extreme sexual dimorphism, with the two sexes looking entirely
different. Both sexes have a white chevron between the eyes, and the
bushy tail is white on the underside. The short-haired, rufous-chestnut
coat of females and immature males has 10 or more vertical white stripes
on the sides. There are white spots on the face, throat, flanks, and thighs.
There are no horns on females, and there is no mane on the neck. The
males are larger than females, and have a shaggy dark brown to charcoal grey
coat, often with a bluish tinge. The length of this coat generally
obscures the torso stripes. There are fewer and less conspicuous markings
than on the female, but there is a bold erectile white dorsal crest. The
lower legs are tawny. The yellow-tipped horns have 1-1.5 twists,
and grow 60-83 cm / 24-33 inches long.

Ontogeny and Reproduction

Gestation Period: 7 months Young per Birth: 1 Weaning: After 6 months Sexual Maturity: Females at 11-12 months, males at 18 months
[although they are not socially mature until 5 years of age]. Life span: Up to 16 years.

Breeding is most frequent in the spring and autumn, with births occurring
in the following autumn and spring. Calves are left alone after birth,
lying still in the grass to avoid detection by predators. The mother
returns to her calf to nurse throughout this three week period.

Ecology and Behavior

Nyala are very shy, and are very cautious when approaching open spaces.
Most sightings of wild nyala are at water holes. They are most
active during the early morning and late afternoon, resting in thick brush
during the hottest times of the day. The alarm call is a sharp, dog-like
bark. Individual nyala home ranges average 0.65 square kilometers for
males and 0.83 kilometers for females. These individual areas overlap
extensively, and there is no indication of territoriality.

The nyala is considered a low-risk, conservation dependent species by the
IUCN (2002), and is not listed by CITES.

Remarks

The nyala is the most sexually dimorphic of all the spiral-horned antelope,
and was first described in 1849 by Gray. 'Nyala' (pronounced
as "n'YAH-la") is the Swahili name for this antelope.

Tragos (Greek) a
he-goat;.elaphos (Greek) a deer; in
combination referring to an antelope. English explorer, artist, and
zoologist George Francis Angas (1822-1886) drew pictures of various
animals in South Africa in 1846.

IEA (Institute of Applied Ecology) 1998. Tragelaphus angasii.
In African Mammals Databank - A Databank for the Conservation and
Management of the African Mammals Vol 1 and 2. Bruxelles: European
Commission Directorate. Available online at
http://gorilla.bio.uniroma1.it/amd/amd219b.html